PUBLIC PETITION for official investigations of
Sathya Sai Baba and his worldwide organization
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/saibaba

 

This Petition is to bring attention to serious allegations of child molestation and homosexual abuse by Sathya Sai Baba at his ashrams in South India, involving many victims there including boys and young men visiting from other countries.  Another grave concern is the issue of unresolved murders at Sai Baba's main ashram in 1993. Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian man who claims to be the full manifestation of God on earth, is worshipped by several million followers from most countries of the world. These followers include heads of state, royalty and other well-known dignitaries. In the highest echelons of the Indian government, judiciary, and civil service (IAS) are many followers, including Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee.

 

Sathya Sai Baba has been charged by many individual victims of his assaults. The world's leading investigative newspaper media have reported on his alleged sexual molestations of numerous boys and young men from all over the world, many of whom were raised to believe that he was God Almighty. Some of the many highly credible personal testimonies can be examined at http://www.saiguru.net or at http://www.exbaba.com/ .

 

Certain officials of the Sathya Sai Organization have failed in their moral and compassionate duty by disregarding and not alerting membership to the allegations, thus putting minors at risk in Sai Baba's presence. (In some countries, sexual abuse is taken so seriously that Mandatory Reporting laws exist.) These officials, some being educators and health care professionals, have lacked the moral courage to exercise due care, instead complying with a campaign of secrecy and cover-up, the alleged molestations having continued for at least 30 years. A directive was issued to various high office-bearers in the organization banning discussion of these allegations in the centres.

 

The US State Department is aware of these many allegations of sexual abuse and has a current consular warning in effect for all US travellers going to India, making specific reference to Andhra Pradesh State, where Sathya Sai Baba’s main ashram is located. (see below, 1-)

 

Further, a British MP has lodged questions in the House of Commons concerning possible risk to the children of UK citizens visiting Sai Baba in India. (see below, 2-)

 

UNESCO officially withdrew from an educational conference planned for September 2000 at Sai Baba's ashram under the auspices of the Sathya Sai Organization, citing "widely reported allegations of sexual abuse involving youth and children ... levelled at the leader of the movement in question, Sathya Sai Baba." (see below, 3-)

 

In June 1993, Sai Baba passively stood by while six persons were murdered in his apartments in Prashanthi Nilayam independent township, his main ashram, known to be completely under his strict control. After discussions between Sai Baba's officials and the local police, the police shot at close range and in cold blood killed four of these persons. Although Sai Baba reportedly first spoke to the intruders and remained nearby throughout the whole episode, conferring with his officials, he was not even questioned by police or law investigators! Due to their serious inconsistency and ineptitude, the case was taken over from the local police by the CBI, but the entire investigation was subsequently quashed by government order by the intervention of devotees of Sai Baba holding top positions of political power. Thus, no adequate court action was taken and no justice or redress was possible for the victims’ families. (see below, 4 and 5-)

 

In terms of human rights, local governments, as well as the national government of India, are obliged to investigate all well-founded accusations of violations of human rights they receive. To sustain police or judicial inactivity violates the human rights of the victims and turns also the civil authorities into violators of human rights.

 

We appeal to all those who wish that these matters should be properly investigated, and who wish that the responsible persons be made accountable through proper legal process, to please sign this Petition. We especially appeal to all religious and spiritual leaders, NGOs, politicians and official functionaries, and the media organizations of all countries to participate. This Petition is for the benefit of the general public and will be sent to any relevant authority that may forward the Petition. Please see sign-up instructions on the page.

 

The initiators of this Petition (see the Undersigned, below) each left the Sathya Sai Baba cult for various reasons. Some have been active members of the Sathya Sai Organization for many years, others did not hold office in the SSO but were devoted followers. See personal resignation letters at www.saiguru.net

 

 

SOURCE DOCUMENTATION

Source documentation for the above matters is to be found on the Internet at a number of websites, as follows:

 

1. The US State Department’s warning to citizens travelling to Andhra Pradesh, November 23, 2001:

 

India - Consular Information Sheet

CRIME IN ANDHRA PRADESH - Americans traveling to or residing in Andhra Pradesh should also be aware that there have been media and other reports of inappropriate sexual behavior by a prominent local religious leader. Most of the reports indicate that the subjects of these approaches have been young male devotees, including a number of Americans. Although these reports are unconfirmed, American citizens should be aware of this information.

 

Sai Baba is by far the most prominent religious leader in Andhra Pradesh. The actual name was no doubt omitted only because charges have not been laid.

 

2. British MP Tony Colman’s question in Parliament and letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair and Tony Blair’s reply.

(See: http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=886 which is linked to the UK’s House of Commons website http://www.parliament.uk/commons/HSECOM.HTM)

 

3. The International Headquarters of UNESCO issued a formal Media Advisory on September 15, 2000 stating that it would no longer sponsor or take part in a conference it had been due to co-organize with the Institute of Sathya Sai Education (Thailand) and The Flinders University Institute of International Education (Australia). The Advisory said that UNESCO was no longer associated in any way – through sponsorship, organization or participation of any kind – with the conference and that UNESCO was deeply concerned about widely-reported allegations of sexual abuse involving youths and children that had been levelled at the leader of the movement in question, Sathya Sai Baba. (The complete text of UNESCO WITHDRAWS FROM CONFERENCE Paris 15/9/2000 – can be read on the website www.saiguru.net)

4. The four executed followers, who reportedly only wished to speak to Sai Baba, killed two of Sai Baba’s attendants in a knife fight. Sai Baba later publicly declared that there was no attempt on his life.

Commenting upon the murders at the time, the International Chairman of Sai Baba’s Organization and a member of the Sathya Sai Central Trust, Indulal Shah, stated to pressmen: “…the matter is purely internal and we do not wish to have any law enforcement agency investigating into it.” (The Hindu, 10-6-1993). The only possible meaning of this is that the International Chairman of the Sathya Sai Organization would put the perpetrators of such major crimes completely above and beyond the law. This is exactly what has occurred so far.

5. For a documentation of most relevant reports, transcripts, proceedings and related materials on the murders issue, examine the 844-page book Murders in Sai Baba’s Bedroom by B. Premanand (publ. Premanand. 11/7 Chettipalayam Road, Podnadur, 641 023 Tamil Nadu, India). Transcripts and other data can be examined at http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex-baba/english.html – under the textbox “Murders” (see especially: “Excerpts from newspaper reports about the murders in Sai Baba's vicinity”).

 

The Undersigned:

 

Badaeva, Dinara – Russia. Moscow Centre Educational Coordinator. Member 1995-2001

Badaev, Serguei –  Russia. Ex-President of Sai Org. Moscow Centre and Deputy National Chairman for Russia. Member 1995-2001.

Brandt, Dave. G. – USA. Official Contact for Nebraska, N. and S. Dakota. Follower 1970-1999.

Carthew, Stephen – Australia. Ex-office-bearer in the South Australian Org. Follower for 15 years.

Conway, Timothy – USA. President of the Sathya Sai Baba Center of San Francisco from 1982-4. Follower for 22 years.

Dagneaux, Andries Krugers – The Netherlands.Ex-Coordinator of seva wing. Follower from 1992-2001.

Danis, James Albert – Canada. Coordinator of Retreats etc., Vancouver Center. Follower for 13 years

Fernandez, Lionel – Mexico. Follower since1967. Centre Chairman May-October 2000.

Hanisch, Dennis J. – USA. Founder member and Vice-President, Seattle Center. Follower for 27 years.

Hartgering, Elena – USA. Ex-Vice-President of Centre and Regional Workshop presenter. Follower for 20 years

Hartgering, John – USA. Ex-President/Service Coordinator of Centre. Follower for 10 years.

Jeyendren, Soma – Australia. Devotee 1989 -2001. Coordinator of celebrations, Pennanthills Center, NSW.

Larssen, Marit – Norway. Bergen group Coordinator 1996-2000. 

Lewers, Helen – Australia. Member 1980 - 2000.

Lyons, David. J. – Ex-President of the Center of Greater New Orleans. Follower from 1981 to 2000.

Meloy, Glen – USA. Member of 1st Advisory Board of the SSB Society for USA. Co-Manager, Sathya Sai Book Center of America in 1974-5. Member for 26 years.

Nagel, Alexandra – The Netherlands. Follower briefly in 1990, thereafter often active in exposé investigations.

Nelson, Richard – USA . Ex-President Santa Barbara Center. Member 1979-2000

Nelson, Terry – USA  Member 1979-2000.

Ord, Keith. – Barcelona/Spain. Follower from 1986-1991.

Pike, Shirley J. – USA. Ex-President, NC Region: Ex-President Cedar Rapids Center, Iowa.

Pittard, Barry – Australia. Former English Lecturer, Sathya Sai College, Whitefield. Devotee 1976-1999.

Priddy, Robert – Norway. Founder member/Ex-Chairman of Sai Org. (Oslo Center) and Coordinator for Norway 1986-1996.   Member 1983-2002.

Priddy, Reidun. – Norway. Founder member and Seva Wing Coordinator 1986-1998. Member 1983-2000.

Quijs, Hortense – The Netherlands. Maastricht Group Coordinator - Member 1995 – 2000

Riemersma, Stijntje – The Netherlands. Coordinator/Secretary Utrecht group, 6 years. Follower for 20 years.

Purcell, Sathya – USA. Lifetime follower until age 23.

Purcell, Sharon – USA . Founder member of Tustin Center, California.  Follower for 32 years.

Shocket, Barbara – USA.  Member 1980-1990.

Shocket, Everett – USA.

Sinclair, Dhyani Jo – Canada. Member and Sai Centre Secretary, 1995-2000.

St. Jean, Marc-André – Former member of Sai Center in Montreal, Canada.